The HPO Indie Series continues with local band The Medicine Hat

Posted on February 22, 2016

Release Date: February 22, 2016FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HAMILTON, ON – The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra is thrilled to announce the next concert of the Indie Series. On March 24 at 7:30pm at The Spice Factory (121 Hughson St. N.) the Indie Series returns with a performance that blends the pop rock style of local band, The Medicine Hat with musicians of the HPO.

Supported by TD, the Indie Series gives Hamiltonians the opportunity to experience HPO musicians perform with local emerging bands, in a hybrid concert experience that features new and familiar works, blending the classical and rock genres. This program features innovative music that pushes traditional boundaries and connects with new audiences to introduce more people to Hamilton’s thriving music scene.

Formed in 2010, The Medicine Hat are an emerging Hamilton band featuring lead vocalist Nabi Bersche, guitarist Tyler Bersche, drummer Mike Boyd, bassist Elliott Gwynne and newest member Chris Pruden on keyboard and synthesizer. The band uses their pop rock style as a platform for exploration, attracting their listeners with traditional pop forms and then adding more complex harmonies and intricate rhythmic ideas. The Medicine Hat were finalists from the 2014 CBC Music Searchlight competition, where the band beat out 171 Hamilton area acts to be crowned one of 24 regional winners.

Working with the unique instrumentation of flute, bassoon, harp, cello and double bass, Hamilton-based composer Christien Ledroit and Principal Bass and artistic lead Rob Wolanski have created innovative cross-genre works for The Medicine Hat and a chamber ensemble of the HPO. Each piece has been taken out of its original context, reworked for the orchestration of both The Medicine Hat and the HPO ensemble. The program features seven original songs by the band, including favourites such as Ships and St. Cecilia, along with classical masterpieces like Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 and “Infernal Dance” from Stravinsky’s The Firebird.

“We’ll be pushed to some really challenging places artistically and anyone who finds our music interesting won’t want to miss this,” says Tyler Bersche. “It’s a window into what happens when artists start pushing each other.” Composer Christien Ledroit adds, “That’s what makes the Indie Series so great. It gets everyone out of their comfort zone, including me. A lot of this repertoire is new to me and it’s exciting that I can approach these pieces with fresh ears.”

Over the past two years, the HPO has built on partnerships with local artists through the first two Indie Series Concerts featuring Illitry and The Redhill Valleys in 2015, as well as collaborative performances at SuperCrawl 2013 and 2014 with beatboxer Hachey the MouthPEACE and rock band Thought Beneath Film.

HPO Indie Series feat. The Medicine Hat
Thurs., March 24 at 7:30pm
The Spice Factory (121 Hughson St. N)

Ticket Information

Tickets are $15 (plus HST) and can be purchased by calling the HPO box office at 905-526-7756 or online at hpo.org.

The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1884 as The Hamilton Orchestral Society and grew to become one of Canada’s major professional orchestras. Today, the HPO is a leader in Hamilton’s robust arts community where it provides professional orchestral services and music education programs to address the needs of the community. The HPO continues to commission and premiere works and is one of the artistic jewels of the Hamilton area. The combined musical talents of its artists continue to enrich the community and enhance the quality of life for its residents.